Hedman paces local runners at boys cross-country championships

By Marc Allardmallard@norwichbulletin.com MANCHESTER — Just about halfway through the race, Ledyard junior Bryce Hedman decided he had to take

The pace wasn't exactly to his liking and he felt like he had more in the tank, so he challenged for the lead.

Hedman said, after the Eastern Connecticut Conference championship meet, that he needed to be up in front if not in first at the halfway mark. He lived up to that promise, but it didn't deliver the result he hoped for as he finished fourth overall, the best finish of any local boys runner, in the CIAC Class MM state cross-country championship at Wickham Park in Manchester Saturday.

Hedman crossed the line in 16 minutes, 55 seconds.

The junior was up in front through the most challenging part of the course, the hill known as "the Green Monster," but then took a "little break" and three runners, Zach Anderson of New Fairfield, the eventual winner, and the Guilford duo of Salvatore Siciliano and Timothy Kenefick, passed him.

"As a junior, I'm hoping they are seniors so I will be the favorite next year," Hedman said, "but I'm definitely happy."

All three were seniors.

Class M

Windham's Jesus Osuba will likely have a new pre-race meal.

"I felt really good coming into the race," Osuba said. "I had pasta last night and felt really good. Last time I came to Wickham (for the Invitational), I had a stomach ache and I didn't run that good a race."

The junior transfer from Windham Tech made up for it this year as he finished sixth overall in 17:06 to qualify for the State Open championship on Friday.

Plainfield's Ryan Saros finished 17th overall. Stonington was the top local team in eighth place.

Class SS

At the one-mile mark, Griswold coach Gerry Chester thought his team was in perfect position.

Unfortunately, there was still 2.1 miles to go.

"Something went squirrely out there and we fell apart," Chester said.

The Wolverines, the only local team in the race, finished seventh with 232 points, well behind the winner, Old Lyme, with 57.

One of the Griswold runners, junior Lucas Meddling, made it necessary for Chester to return to Wickham Park on Friday as he finished 11th overall and qualified for the State Open.

"I'm a little disappointed that I didn't make All-State (top eight), but I still made the Open, which is a big accomplishment for me," Meddling said.

Class S

Capital Prep dominated the team results, but several local individuals had some good individual performances.

St. Bernard's James Rose and Jonathan Cabral finished eighth and ninth, respectively, in the championship race. The duo finished side-by-side in 17:32. The results means both qualify for the State Open championship.

"My goal was top 10 and I saw the Bolton kids and knew I could stick with them," Rose said. "They pulled away on the 'Green Monster' (a large hill in the middle of the course), but I kept them in sight."

Capital Prep, which had Dhahran Velasquez and Devin Nelson finish first and second overall, posted just 43 points. St. Bernard was fourth overall with 165. Rose said had the Saints could have "done some damage" in Class S had the Saints still had Connor Gralton who transferred to Norwich Free Academy this year.

Class LL

Norwich Free Academy coach Chad Johnson brought his team up to Wickham Park twice this past week and explained how the race should be run. He told both Gralton and Tyler Sholes that at the half-mile, they should be around 2:35. Instead, they crossed the half-mile mark in 2:24 with Gralton in third and Sholes in sixth.